The first 15 minutes of the game was mostly spent in the midfield with neither team able to get any offense generated in the early going.

Davidson got the first two shots of the game off in the 18th minute, but redshirt junior Megan Botteri knocked them away to keep the game scoreless.

After a timeout by Shannon Karl in the 19th minute, the Rams came alive, scoring just 10 minutes later when junior Kelsey Powell scored her first collegiate goal. A cross across the circle got deflected by a Wildcat defender, but Powell knocked it out of midair inside the left post to give VCU the lead.

Senior Haley McBee nearly tallied her fifth goal of the year right before halftime, but Davidson keeper Sarah Fisher was able to turn her away to keep it a one-goal game at the intermission.

For the third straight game, the Rams found the scoreboard in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Senior Kelsey Scherrer blasted home a shot off a corner with assists going to Chelsea Hill and Steph DeMasi.

Scherrer would test the Wildcast defense again in the 59th minute, but this time Fisher turned it away to keep it a 2-0 game.

Davidson would try and pressure the Rams late with three shots in the final three and half minutes, but Botteri and the VCU defense were able to keep them off the scoreboard and hold on for the first shutout of the year.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

The win secures the first 5-0 start in program history.

The 5-0 start is also the best start for any Head Coach in VCU Field Hockey history.

Scherrer's goal in the 44th minute gave her the all-time record in points scored at VCU. Her 99 points surpassed Alycia Yoder's 18-year old record of 97 points.

Powell's game-winning goal in the 29th minute was the first of her career. It marked the second straight game that the game-winning goal was the first collegiate goal for a Ram (Farino at Monmouth, 9/9).

QUOTABLES:

Head Coach Shannon Karl

"We are happy with the result and encouraged by the way we continue to fight and find a way to earn wins."

"We will get back to work and place our focus on putting together a more consistent 70 minutes of hockey on Sunday."

Senior Kelsey Scherrer

"The team did a really good job of making the necessary adjustments after the first timeout and halftime, which ultimately allowed us to earn the win."

"In order to accomplish our goals that we have set, we have to make sure we go into each game ready to play a full 70 minutes. We have to focus on starting the game as strong as we have been finishing."

COMING UP

The Rams are back at Davidson for a neutral site match against Appalachian State. Ball drops at 3:30 p.m.